Makoto and the merman
by MyKawaiiBabies
Summary: Makoto Tachibana is 20 years old and one day his father invites him to his workplace; a marine research facility and there he meets Haruka, a merman! The two of them form an unbreakble bond and a story about love and friendship begins!
1. Chapter 1 - The meeting

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 1 - The meeting**

I was invited by my father who works at a marine research facility because he said he wanted to show me something amazing. He told me it was one of the greatest findings in history, but he also told me that what I was about to see was highly classified and that I had to swear I wouldn't tell anyone about it. I was guided into a room with poor lighting and in the middle of the room there was a tank that contained a...

"A merman!?" I said and looked questioningly at my father.

"Yes Makoto, it's a merman! Isn't it amazing?" My father said very enthusiastically.

The merman had a chain around his left wrist that was attached to the ceiling of the tank.

"Why is it chained like that?" I asked my father.

"It's so he dosen't move too much when we examine him," he answered.

"Dosen't it hurt?"

"Well, he hasn't complained, in fact he hasn't said a word," my father said before joining the other researches.

The merman had a sad look on his face and I approched the tank. I was now touching the glass and the merman moved closer to the glass and his sad eyes looked right in to mine. I was just about to speak when I heard a voice from inside the glass;

"Who are you? I haven't seen you before," the merman said in a monotone voice.

I was in chock, he had spoken to me!

"I'm Makoto, and you are?" I asked him.

He was just about to anwser me when my father and the other researchers notised us.

"Is he talking to you? Unbelieveble! He hasn't said a word before!" One of the researchers said.

Now everyone was gathered around the glass and were looking at the merman who now had a slightly frightend look on his face.

"Say something more," another one of the researchers said.

The merman didn't say anything and looked at me again with those sad eyes.

"It seems it only wants to talk to you," my father said and looked at me.

"How about everyone except Makoto leaves and we'll see if he'll say something to him," my father said to the other researchers.

"Okay," one of them said. "We'll leave."

Everyone else leaved the room and I was the only one left inside. I turned back to the merman and he continued looking at me with his sad eyes.

"They're finally leaving me alone," he said while still looking at me.

"So what's your name?" I asked him.

"It's Haruka," the merman said.

"It's a nice name."

It was quiet for a few seconds before I opened my mouth again.

"Does it hurt?" I asked him and looked at the chain around his wrist.

"A little bit, but it's fine," he said with his monotone voice.

"Do you miss the ocean?" I asked him.

"Yes, do you think I like it in here?" he asked with a little irritation in his voice.

"I thought so, that's why your eyes looked so sad," I said and smiled at him.

"You have a nice smile," he said and I could see through the glass that he was blushing and I giggled.

"What's so funny?" He asked and a look of anger appeared on his face.

"Nothing really," I said as a response.

It was queit for a minute or so before Haruka opened his mouth again.

"Have you ever swum in the ocean?" He asked me.

I turned my head away and thought about the accident that happend all those years ago.

"Makoto...?" He asked me with a little concern in his voice.

"I'm afraid of the ocean," I said and looked at him again.

"Why?" Haruka asked me.

"I don't want to talk about it," I said and looked away again.

Suddenly the door to the room flew open and all the researchers came back inside.

"Did he speak?" My father asked me.

"Well, yes..." I began to say but my father grabbed my arm and started to guide me to the door.

"I need to know everything he said to you. Let's go somewhere else and talk," he said and continued to guide me to the door.

I turned around and looked at Haruka and he once again looked at me with his sad eyes and the raised his right arm and waved at me as me and my father left the room.


	2. Chapter 2 - The beginning

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 2 - The beginning**

Me and my father were now sitting on opposite ends of a table in a small room.

"What did he say?" My father asked me eagerly.

"He didn't say much, but we talked a little bit," I answered and told him what we had talked about.

"Interesting, so his name is Haruka" he said after I was finished.

It was quiet for a few minutes and my father looked like he was in deep thought.

"Father," I said, breaking the silence.

"Yes Makoto?"

"Is it possible to remove the chain from around his wrist?" I asked my father.

"It depends on what the higher-ups think," he anwered.

"Okay."

We left the room and my father said I could go home so I left the research facility and went out to the parking lot were my car was parked. During the drive home I thought about my strange encounter and I hoped that it would be possible to remove the chain around Haruka's wrist. He said it was fine, but I think that it acually hurt more than he said it did. I arrived at my apartment complex and I parked my car in the parking lot and went into the building. I took the elevator up to the third floor and on my way out I bumped in to my friend and neighbor, Rin Matsuoka.

"Oh, Makoto! I'm sorry," he said.

"No, I'm sorry. I was the one who bumped into you. Are you going somewhere?" I asked him.

"Yes, acually I'm gonna go visit my childhood friend," he answered.

"Sousuke is his name right?"

"Yeah, that guy," he said before excusing himself and he took the elevator down to the ground floor.

I unlocked the door to my apartment and went to my bedroom to change my clothes from the suit I was wearing to a couple of jeans and a t-shirt. I went to my fridge and took a beer and sat down in front of the TV just as my phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Mako-chan! It's me, Nagisa!" a loud, excited voice said on the other end.

"Oh, Nagisa. What's up?" I asked my friend.

"Me and Rei-chan are having a party and I wondered if you wanted to come?"

"No thanks, I'm tired. I just came home," I answered.

"You're boring! Well it can't be helped I guess," he said in a disappointed voice.

"Maybe another time."

"Okay, I'll call you tomorrow then. Bye Mako-chan!"

Nagisa hung up and I put the phone down on the living room table. I finished my beer and went back into the bedroom and changed to sweatpants and went to bed.

The next morning I was awakened from my slumber by the sound of my phone ringing. I got out of bed and went out to the living room and answered the phone.

"Hello?" I said in a tired voice.

"Makoto, it's your father. Could you come to the research facility?" my father asked.

"Sure, why?"

"I need you to talk to the merman again," he said.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," I said and hung up the phone before he could say anything more.

If it meant seeing Haruka again there was no way I wouldn't come. I put my suit on and went out of my apartment, locked the door and took the elevator down. I went out to the parking lot and started my car and drove towards the research faciliy. During the night many questions that I wanted to ask Haruka had popped into my mind and I was happy I was getting the chance to ask him these questions. "_I want to see him," _I thought as I continued driving towards the research facility.


	3. Chapter 3 - Friendship

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 3 - Friendship**

I arrived at the research facility and I entered the building. I was guided to the room with Haruka's tank in it. My father and the other researchers were waiting outside the door.

"Makoto, it's good you could come so soon," my father said.

"Makoto, let me intruduce you to the one in charge of the reasearch of the merman, Dr. Ryo Hamada."

"It's very nice to meet you Doctor," I said and reached out my hand to Doctor Hamada but he didn't take it.

"I heard you were successful in communicating with the merman," he said with a slightly unpleasant tone to his voice.

"Yes, we talked," I said.

"I would like you to talk to him again and ask him some very important questions."

"Like what?" I asked him.

"Like where the rest of his kind is located," he answered.

"Why do you wanna know?" I asked him.

"I would like to know if there are more of his kind wouldn't you?" he said with the same unpleasant tone as before.

"Well sure but just so we're clear, when you're done with your research you intend to let him back into the ocean right?" I asked him.

"Of course," he said but something about the way he said it seemed off.

"Yes Makoto we just wanna know how they live and how their society works. We have only been able to preform tests to determine how their anatomy works since he wouldn't talk to us," my father said.

"These tests didn't hurt, did they?" I asked my father.

"I haven't been involved in the tests at all so I don't really know. Doctor Hamada conducted all the tests himself." he answered and looked at the doctor.

"I assure you I didn't do anything to harm the subject," he said but the way he said it seemed off just as before and I didn't like the way he called Haruka a "subject".

"So you want to know how mermen and mermaids live and what they do. That kind of stuff?" I asked Doctor Hamada.

"Yes, that's all."

"Okay, you want me to go in now?" I asked.

Yes, if you will," Doctor Hamada said.

Everyone else moved aside and I entered the room.

I closed the door behind me and walked up to the tank in the middle of the room. They had litsened to my request and had removed the chain around Haruka's wrist and he was know sleeping at the bottom of the tank. Small bubbles were coming out of his mouth and I could hear a faint snoring sound. I knocked carefully on the glass and Haruka opened his eyes but he didn't look at me.

"Are you here to preform more tests on me?" he asked in his usual monotone voice.

"No, it's me Makoto," I said.

He reacted to my voice and with fast movements he had gotten up and was now face to face with me on the other side of the glass.

"I'm so glad it's you and not the others, especially not the Hamada guy," he said.

"I really wanted to see you again," I said and smiled. He looked away and I could see he was blushing just like the day before. It was kind of cute.

"I have so many things I want to ask you," I said after a short silence.

"Like what?" Haruka asked.

"Like how your family is like for example," I answered.

He looked at me a few seconds and then opened his mouth.

"They're really nice," he started.

"My mom is very good at telling stories and there was this one that I really liked," he said.

"She always used to tell me it was a true story. I don't know if I believe her but I still loved the story," he continued.

"My father can be a little strict sometimes but he's really a good guy. He always told me it could be dangerous to be to close to the shore in case humans would spot me and I guess he was right because that was how I ended up here."

"Why would you risk getting caught by being near the shore?" I asked him.

"I was looking for someone. Someone I meet a long time ago. I always came to the shore to look for him."

The sad look he usually had on his face became more sad as he seemed to be thinking about something.

"Are you okay, Haruka?" I asked.

Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking about that someone. I wish I could meet him again but the thing is, I can't really remember his face."

Silence filled the room as none of us said anything for several minutes until a thought popped into my head and I opened my mouth to speak.

"Hey, Haruka. Is it okay if I call you Haru-chan?" I asked him.

"I don't like being called -chan," he said.

"What about just Haru then?"

"Okay, but why?" he asked.

"Because we're friends now," I said and smiled at him. Through the glass I could see that he was blushing once again.

"If you want to be my friend of course."

"Sure, that would be nice," he said in his usual voice.

Right after he said that the researchers came in through the door and there was no more time to talk. Like the day before I was brought to a small room with a table. Unlike yesterday however not only my father was with me but also Doctor Hamada. I told them everything Haru had said and after that I was told I could go home.

That night when I was lying in bed I thought about Haru and how much he must miss his family but I couldn't help but to feel a little happy that Haru had been caught. Because if the hadn't I would have never met him but there was something that bothered me, but I couldn't figure out exacly what it was.


	4. Chapter 4 - The past

**A/N**

I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while but Iv'e been busy with school but here's chapter 4. Enjoy!

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 4 - The past**

_It was dark and silent, I coluldn't hear anything. It was cold and I couldn't breath. I sank deeper down into the darkness, I looked up but it was useless, I still couldn't see anything. I tried to reach up because even if it was dark and I couldn't see anything I knew that it was the only way out. I tried my hardest and my head finally broke the surface of the water but as soon as I did a wave came and I once again sank down into the darkness. It happened so fast I didn't get a chance to take a breath and I felt that my oxygen was running out. I started to feel dizzy and I couldn't hold my breath anymore. I was so scared at this point, I was only a kid and this was how it all was going to end. "I'm going to die," I thought as everything went black._

_lala la lalala la lala la lalala_

_I heard someone sing a beatiful melody. A light appeared and my eyes slowly opened. I saw someone that was bending over me. "Are you an angel?" The song stopped and the person that had been bending over me disappeared and I could hear voices calling my name._

_"koto..."_

_"Mako..."_

"Makoto!"

My eyes shot open and I sat up in my bed. I heard Nagisa's voice calling my name and knocking on the front door. I got out of bed and walked out of my bedroom and went to the front door. I looked through the peeping hole and saw Nagisa as well as Rei and Rin. I unlocked the door and let them in.

"I'm sorry, did we wake you up?" Rei asked.

"Yes, but ít's fine. I should have been up hours ago anyway." I answered.

"You didn't anwser my call yesterday Mako-chan! Did you forget I said I was going to call you?" Nagisa said in a slightly angry tone.

"I'm sorry, my father called me and..."

"That reminds me! Makoto how was it at the lab? You said your father was going to take you there and show you something," Rei interrupted me.

I started thinking about Haru and I wanted to tell my friends all about him but then I remembered that I wasn't allowed to tell anyone.

"I'm sorry but I'm not allowed to say anything," I answered.

"Come on Makoto," Rin said.

"Yeah come on! Tell us Mako-chan! Nagsa followed.

Nagisa, Rei and Rin looked at me with big eyes that remined me of three puppies.

"No, I really can't," I said.

They all looked a little disappointed but they accepted the fact that I wasn't going to tell them anything. They asked me if I wanted to go with them to the marine park because Rin's little sister Gou had gotten a job there. I said yes and went back into my bedroom and got myself dressed. We stopped on the way to the park at a café so that i could get something to eat. Half an hour later we arrived at the park.

"Wow, look at all the water animals!" Nagisa said enthusiastically.

"Nagisa, you've have been here and seen these animals a million times. You, me and Rin went here every weekend when we were kids." I said.

"I know but they're still awesome!"

We found Gou picking up trash near the penguins.

"You having fun?" Rin asked his sister.

"Nii-san? What are you doing here?" She asked.

She raised her head and noticed that me, Nagisa and Rei were there as well.

"You guys too?"

"We came to check on you to see if you are doing your job," Rin teased.

"Haha, very funny," she said sarcasticly.

We walked around awhile in the park until it was time for Gou's break. We all sat down on two benches outside of the park café. We sat there and chatted as I noticed a sign. _A creature like none other! A wonder from the deep sea! Coming soon!_

It's apparenly some new mystery animal of some kind." Gou, that had noticed me staring at the sign said.

_"Mystery animal..." _I thought._ "A wonder from the deep sea..." _ For some reason I got a weid feeling in my stomach when I thought about the sign and what Gou had said.

I got pulled out of my thoughts by my cellphone ringing.

"Hello, Makoto Tachibana here."

"Makoto, It's your father. You have to hurry over to the lab, something incredible is happening."


	5. Chapter 5 - Forgotten memories

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 5 - Forgotten memories**

When I got to the research facility everyone was standing outside of the door leading to the room which had the tank in it. Dr. Hamada was the first one to notice me.

"Makoto, it's great that you are here," he said in a slightly irritated tone.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"He's singing! The merman is singing!"

"Really?"

"Yes and I want him to stop," Dr. Hamada said this time even more irritated.

"Now, calm down doctor. Don't you think it's amazing?" My father asked.

"Amazing? I was doing some very important tests and all of a sudden he started singing! I need Makoto to tell him to shut up so I can continue the tests!" Dr. Hamada said, now in a very unplesant tone.

"You don't have to be so angry, don't you understand he might be scared," I said to Dr. Hamada who had now made me slighly angry with that attitude of his.

"Calm down both of you. Let's just let Makoto go in there and we'll see what happens," my father said.

"Fine," Dr. Hamada said and he looked at me before turning around and opening the door.

Once he had opened the door we all went inside and my ears were hit by a very beautiful song.

_lala la lalala la lala la lalala_

All of a sudden my entire body got stiff and I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe and I started shaking. All the memories came back to me at once.

"STOP SINGING!" I shouted with all my might. The song stopped and I looked up and Haru and everyone else around me were staring at me.

"Makoto, what's wrong?" My father asked me.

I was still shaking and I was my breathing was rapid.

"I remembered," was the only thing that came out of my mouth but my father understood what I meant.

"I see, maybe you should get out of here," my father suggested.

"No," I said looking back at Haru. I went up to the tank and put my hand on the glass. Haru had a slightly frightened look on his face.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Not really but I'm sorry if I scared you," I said and smiled. Haru blushed just like he always did. "_He's so cute when he does that,"_ I thought.

"It was you, you were the one who saved me," I told Haru.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

The reseachers had now moved closer to me and Haru.

"Ten years ago when I was ten me and my family were out in the family boat when all of a sudden a storm came. The waves keept getting higher and higher. A big one hit the boat and I fell into the ocean. I tried to swim but the waves were too strong. I really thought I would die when I could no longer breath and everything around me became black but then I heard a beautiful melody and I opened my eyes and..."

"It's you," Haru "interuppted" me. He looked at me and then continued.

"You're the one I've been looking for. I remember your face now. I saw you desperately trying to reach the suface. I couldn't just let you die so I saved you. At first I thought I might have been to late. I started singing that song because it's a song mermen and mermaids sing when they are sad. Then all of a sudden you opened your eyes. You thought I was an angel and then I heard voices so I jumped back into the ocean. After that no matter how much I tried I just couldn't remember your face but I remember now. Those voices were saying "Makoto". It's you." Haru said.

It was quiet in the room for a moment as me and Haru just stared at each other. It might have been just a moment but it felt so much longer than that. But the silence was broken by my father.

"Your name is Haruka, right?" he said and turned to Haru.

Haru and I took our eyes of each other and were now looking at my father. Haru nodded to my father's question. I noticed my father was crying.

"Thank you for saving my son back then. I could never thank you enough," he said and made a deep bow. Haru was looking at my father with big eyes and my father stood back up. What happened after that was truly amazing. For the first time Haru spoke directly to someone besides me.

"You're welcome," he said and looked right at my father.

Everybody seemed to be in shock and the room was once again quiet until Dr. Hamada broke the silence.

"Can I please get back to my tests now?" he asked with the usual ton of irritation in his voice.

"Yes, of course Doctor but he just spoke to me! He has only spoken to my son before." My father said.

"I know and we'll discuss that later but now I really need to get back to those tests," Dr Hamada said.

"Yes, Doctor. Makoto, let's go."

I looked back at Haru as me, my father and the other reserachers left the room. Haru looked at me with a look that seemed to say; _Don't leave me alone with him_ and then I remembered something. Haru had said that his kind sung that song when they were sad. Haru had sung that song before when Dr. Hamada had been conducting tests on him. I could only come to one conclusion and that was that Haru definitely didn't like it when Dr. Hamada did tests on him. I realized what it was that had bothered me the night before. It was Dr. Hamada and his attitude towards Haru. Then I remembered about the sign at the Marine Park. "_Mystery animal... A wonder from the deep sea..." _

It couldn't be...


	6. Chapter 6 - Realizations

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 6 - Realizations**

I was now at home laying on my bed and I had a theory, Dr. Hamada was not going to let Haru go back into the ocean. After he had conducted all the necessary tests he would send him to the Marine Park where he would be displayed as _"The wonder form the sea."_ Of course I didn't know if this really was the case but I pretty much certain that it was.

_"What should I do? I have to make sure he gets back to the ocean, he's not gonna be happy at the Marine Park having people standing around and staring at him everyday." _I thought to myself.

I got of my bed and out to the living room. I started walking back and forth while trying to come up with something I could do. After awhile of thinking and not coming up with anything I started getting really frustrated.

"Damn it!"

At that moment my phone rang. I picked it up and answered the call without looking at the screen to see who was calling.

"WHAT!?"

"Whoa, what's wrong with you?" Rin asked on the other end.

"Oh, it's you. I'm sorry, I'm just a little frustrated." I answered.

"I noticed."

"So what did you want?" I asked him in a much calmer voice.

"It's about Sousuke." Rin answered.

"Your childhood friend? What about him?"

"Well… I….um…sort of kissed him." Rin said after stuttering a bit.

"So? Are you dating or something?" I asked him.

"I don't know! I just kissed him and ran away!"

"Rin."

"Yeah…?"

"That was pretty stupid." I said.

"Oh, thank you! You think I don't know that! I have always liked him ever since we were kids so I couldn't hold back anymore and I just kissed him! I panicked!"

"That's no reason to run away."

"I know, but I didn't know what else to do," Rin said.

"So just call him and talk it out."

"That's exacly what I plan to do but I need your help," Rin said.

"With what?" I asked him.

"I need you to help me come up with an excuse."

"An excuse for what?"

"For kissing him. I need to tell him it was a mistake somehow," he said.

"Why can't you just be honest?" I asked him.

"It would be totally weird! We're childhood friends and besides that, we are both guys!"

"So what?"

"So what? Don't you think it's weird being in love with a guy!?" he asked me.

"Of course not. I mean Nagisa and Rei are a couple and I don't have a problem with it."

"What?! Nagisa and Rei are a couple!?" he asked in a suprised voice.

"You didn't know? I mean they already live together and everything."

"Friends can live together too!" Rin said.

"In a one bedroom apartment?"

"Oh…"

It was quiet for a minute or two before Rin started talking again.

So what should I tell Sousuke then?" Rin asked me.

"Just tell him the truth. Call and ask him to meet you somewhere and then you just explain to him how you feel, after that you ask him how he feels and if he feels the same as you do, you ask him to be your boyfriend. Now if you'll excuse me," I said and hung up the phone.

I felt a little guilty about hanging up on Rin like that but I didn't feel like talking with anyone. Somehow the whole conversation with Rin had only made me feel even more frustrated. Besides, what was up with Rin not knowing Nagisa and Rei were dating? Nagisa has always been open about it so you'd think Rin would notice.

"_It must be really nice being in love with someone though,"_ I thought.

I had never really been in love before. I'd had my share of relationships but I had never truly been in love. Suddenly a picture of Haru popped up in my mind. His pale skin, his sad blue eyes, the way he always blushed when I smiled at him. I felt my heart beat a little faster in my chest when I thought about it.

_"W-What am I thinking?"_

My heart kept beating fast and that's when a thought crossed my mind.

_"No way…It can't be that…that…"_

"I'm in love with Haru!?"


	7. Chapter 7 - Hamada's real intentions

**A/N: **Sorry for the wait, I've been super busy with school. Anyway, this chapter is told in Haru's pov but it won't be very long. I promise the next chapter will be longer.

Enjoy! :)

Makoto and the merman

**Chapter 7 - Hamada's real intentions **

I woke up to the sound of people talking outside the tank. I recognized the the voices, it was Dr Hamada and that man.

"So it's a deal then," Dr Hamada told the other man.

"Yes! This will be the most amazing thing to ever be displayed at the Marine Park!" The other man said in an exited voice.

This man was the head of a place called a "marine park". Dr Hamada had told me what it meant. I was going to be sent there and be displayed as "the wonder from the sea". Humans come to these marine parks to watch water animals. I'm not an animal, I'm more like a human than a an animal but Dr Hamada didn't seem to care as long as he got his money.

"But I still want to know where he comes from and where the rest of his kind is." the man said.

"I'm trying but he just won't tell me! He hasn't even told that damn kid yet and they have been gotten along really well. Still, I'm glad Mr Tachibana invited him here, we have gotten some valuable information thanks to him."

_What was he saying? No Way! Makoto wouldn't… Not Makoto… Not Makoto!_

"You're lying."

They both turned around to look at me.

"He talked!" the head of the marine park said in a suprised voice.

"Lying? I'm sorry merman but I'm not. After his first visit here he only continued to come to get information from you." Dr Hamada said in his usual unpleasant voice.

"I don't believe you! Makoto is not like that! Don't say bad things about him!"

"You don't really know him, you have only known him for a week. You may have saved him ten years ago but that does not mean you acually know anything about him." Dr Hamada said.

"But… but… he… I…I"

I couldn't say anymore. I felt my heart sink to the bottom of my chest. I turned around and sat down at the bottom of the tank and buried my face in my hands.

"Did you really think he cared about you? How sweet." Dr Hamada said in an amused voice.

He whispered something to the other man and then they both left the room.

"This can't be… I thought Makoto was different." I said out loud to myself.

_"Why did it have to be this way?"_

I felt my eyes beginnig to water and I tried to hold back the tears.

_"You bastard… I really thought you cared… You're really cruel Makoto, making be fall in love with you like this…"_

I couldn't hold back anymore and I broke down crying.


	8. Chapter 8 - Love

_**A/N: Sorry for the long wait but here is chapter 8 and it's a pretty long one too! I really hope you all had a good Easter bc I sure did! Enjoy the new chapter!**_

**Chapter 8 - Love**

It had been three days since my realization and I found myself just sitting in my apartment waiting for my father to call me and ask me to come to the research facility. I was really worried about Dr. Hamada's real intentions so I wanted to see Haru as soon as possible. When the fourth day came I could no longer hold back so I went to the research facility uninvited. When I got there I was really worried that security wouldn't let me in but I guess they had become used to me being there so they just let me pass without any trouble and I was lucky enough not to run into anyone on my way to Haru's room. I stood in front of the door but just as I reached for the doorknob I heard sobbing from inside the room and stopped.

_"Is Haru crying?"_

I slowly opened the door and entered. Haru was sitting at the bottom of the tank with his back turned to me. I approached the tank in a slow pace and then I just stood there a few seconds before opening my mouth.

"What's wrong Haru?" I asked in a gentle voice.

The sobbing stopped and he turned to me and what I saw broke my heart. His eyes were completely red like he had been crying non-stop for days and he had a pained look on his face.

"What do you want?" Haru asked in a pained voice.

"I wanted to see if you were okay but you're clearly not" I said.

"You're lying."

"What are you talking about Haru? Of course I'm not lying to you"

"STOP LYING TO ME! YOU HAVE DONE NOTHING BUT LIE TO ME!" Haru screamed at me.

I was really suprised that he had snapped at me like that.

"Haru, I don't understand? What have I done?" I asked him.

"He told me everything. About how you only came to see me to get information from me. How you pretended to be my friend just to get close to me so that I would reveal all my kind's secrets to you."

_"What is Haru talking about? I would never do anything like that!"_

That was when it hit me that Dr Hamada must have told him that. It explained everything.

"Whatever he told you was a lie. I would never do anything like that," I told Haru but the look on his didn't change or soften at all so he obviously still didn't believe me.

"Why should I believe you? Dr Hamada has always told me the truth before. Talking about how when I told him where the rest of my kind are he would find them, and send them to different parks and make alot of money on it. Even though the things he said were horrible, he always told me the truth and what he told me makes perfect sense. There can't possibly exist any gentle and kind humans." he said with the same pained voice as before.

I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't stand to see Haru like this, his face filled with sadness and betrayal, his voice so unlike the usual Haru. I felt the tears stinging in my eyes.

"Haru… I haven't lied to you. Please believe me…" I said as a tear ran down my face.

"Why are you crying? You have no right to cry" Haru said in an almost cruel voice.

This was the final drop. I fell to my knees as the tears started streaming out.

"Haru… Please believe me…?"

"Just leave."

It was when he said that, that I lost it completely.

"NO, I WON'T LEAVE!" I screamed in desperation

I had to explain. Haru had to understand.

"I NEVER LIED TO YOU AND I'LL PROVE IT TO YOU! FROM THE BEGINNING I WAS INVITED BY MY FATHER TO SEE YOU BUT I NEVER HAD THE INTENTION OF USING YOU! MY FATHER AND DR HAMADA DID TELL ME TO GET INFORMATION FROM YOU BUT THEY LIED TO ME ABOUT THE DETAILS! AND I ONLY AGREED TO IT SO THAT I WOULD GET A CHANCE TO KEEP SEEING YOU! A FEW DAYS AGO I WENT TO THE MARINE PARK WITH MY FRIENDS BECAUSE ONE OF MY FRIENDS SISTER WORKS THERE! THERE I SAW THE SIGNS ABOUT THE NEW MYSTERY ANIMAL THEY WERE GOING TO …! I ALWAYS HAD A WEID FEELING ABOUT DR HAMADA AND AFTER LEAVING THE OTHER DAY I REALIZED EVERYTHING! I WANTED TO COME HERE EARLIER BUT SINCE MY FATHER HADN'T CALLED I FELT AS THOUGH I COULDN'T COME BECAUSE I WASN'T INVITED BUT TODAY I COULDN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE AND I CAME HERE TO SEE YOU! I'M NOT A BAD PERSON AND I DON'T WANT YOU TO THINK THAT! BUT I ALSO WON'T LET YOU MAKE FUN OF MY FEELINGS! I WON'T LET YOU THINK SUCH HORRIBLE THINGS ABOUT ME WHEN THEY AREN'T TRUE! SO WHATEVER DR. HAMADA TOLD YOU IS A LIE BECAUSE THE TRUTH IS THAT I LOVE YOU HARU! AND I WOULD NEVER WANT TO HURT YOU EVER!"

The room fell silent except for my own sobbing.

"Makoto… Don't cry anymore… please…?" Haru suddenly said with a very gentle tone in his voice.

I stopped my sobbing and raised my head to look at Haru. He was crying too.

"I'm so sorry Makoto. I can tell your feelings are true. I didn't mean to doubt you but I had never met such a kind and gentle human before and when Dr. Hamada said that you had been using me I believed him. Like I mentioned before I thought I was so stupid for thinking that such a human could exist. But now I believe in you. Mermen and mermaids has the ability to tell if a human's tears are real or not. No one really knows why we have that ability but there is a story about it. Anyway, none of that really matters right now."

Haru moved a bit and was now face to face with me.

"Makoto… I'm really happy that you love me."

When Haru said that my heart skipped a beat. I had almost forgotten that I had confessed to him before. I became a bit nervous but I didn't look away.

"Because, Makoto… I love you too."

It took awhile for my brain to process what Haru had told me but when I finally understood what he had tild me my heart skipped a beat again.

"Haru… I'm really happy that you love me too," I said and smiled. Just as usual Haru blushed when I did.

"You really are cute when you blush". I told him and his face became even redder.

"Don't say things like that. It's embarassing," Haru said.

"I'm just stating a fact."

The room fell silent once more but with no sobbing this time. We just stood there and stared at each other.

"Haru…" I said and put my hand against the glass of the tank.

"I swear I will get you back to the ocean, no matter what."

Haru took his hand and put it over mine from the other side of the glass.

"I really want to go back to the ocean but… Right now there is something else I want more than to go back to the ocean," he said.

"And what is that?" I asked him.

"To be on the other side of this glass with you."


	9. Chapter 9 - The story

**Chapter 9 - The story**

I felt my heart skip a beat after what Haru had just said and the room was silent once more. As we just stood there still having our hands over one another's and enjoying the moment a thought crossed my mind.

"Tell me that story," I said.

"Story?" Haru asked with a confused look on his face.

"Yeah, that story you told me about," I answered.

"The one that my mother used to tell me?"

"Yes, that one," I said.

"Why do you want to hear that story now of all times?" Haru asked.

"I don't really know. I just started thinking about it just now and I felt like I wanted to hear it."

"Okay... Here it goes then I guess," Haru said before taking his hand away from the glass and facing away from me for a second before turning back to face me again as he opened his mouth ready to tell the story.

_"Once upon a time there was a beautiful mermaid living in a kingdom under the sea. One day there was a storm and the mermaid saved a young man's life. The man was very greatful and he even forgot to be suprised at the discovery that the one who saved him was in fact a memaid. Once he realized this he was a little shocked but the got over it pretty quickly and the two became friends. They had to meet in secret since humans often wanted to capture mermaids to gain fame and fortune as well as eternal life. The man however was diffrent, he didn't care about such things and only wanted to enjoy the mermaid's company. _

_As time past the two got closer and closer and they ended up falling in love with each other. They understood ____that their love was impossible since one was a human and the other a mermaid but their love was strong and there was no way that they could give up on each other. But one day when they met in secret as usual one of the man's servants saw them together. He couldn't believe his eyes! A real mermaid! He remembered the legends about mermaids and that if you eat their tails you could be given eternal life. He called upon two other servants and they all waited for the man to leave. When the man finally left they all approched the mermaid and captured her. Then they took her to the basement of the man's house (which was hardly ever used) and they filled an old barrel with water and put her in it. The mermaid started crying and begged them to take her back to the ocean but they just told her to be quiet or else they would hurt her beloved. She stopped crying immediately and the servants left the sad and scared mermaid and went upstairs to discuss what they were going to do next. They thought it would be best to try and get the mermaid to tell them where the others of her kind were so that they could capture more of them and then sell them and make lots of money. _

_A few days followed and the servants tried to get the mermaid to reveal where the other mermaids and mermen were but she refused. The young man kept going to their usual meeting place everyday but there was no sign of the mermaid anywhere and he started to get worried. Where had she gone? He didn't know that she was in fact in his very basement at exacly that moment. In the underwater kingdom her parents were also getting worried. She hadn't been home for days. Where had she gone? _

_When a week had gone by the young man gathered all of his servants and told them all about the mermaid and ordered them all to go looking for her. Most of them thought he had gone mad but went out looking for her anyway. The three servants who had taken the mermaid also played along and went out to search for her. The man was now alone in the house when he heard singnig from the basement._

_lala la lalala la lala la lalala_

_He went down to the basement and found the mermaid. When the mermaid saw him she started crying. The man hurried to her side and pulled her in for a tight embrace. He then asked her what had happened and why she was there in his basement. She told him about the servants and the man got very angry. He lifted her out of the barrel and carried her out of the basement. He got a blanket from the livingroom and wrapped it around her before leaving the house. He went down to the beach where all of the servants were still looking for the mermaid. They all stopped what they were doing and looked at the young man. Everybody looked at him with questioning look. Everybody that is except for the three servants who know exactly what he was holding in his arms. The mermaid pointed at the three and told the man tha they were the ones who had kidnapped her. The man ordered the other servants to capture the three and they did as they were told. The man told them to get them back to the house and wait for him to return. The man carried the mermaid down to the water and unwrapped the blanket. The man told the mermaid that maybe it was best if she went back to where she came from but the mermaid refused. She loved him too much. At that moment two heads broke the surface of the water. They called out for the mermaid;, it was her mother and father. She was very happy and swam out to meet them. They asked where she had been and she told them everything that had happened. At last she told them how much she loved the young man and that she didn't wish to part with him. Her parents told her it was impossible since they were too different. The mermaid became very sad and she swam back to the man to say goodbye. They looked each other deep in the eyes and shared one last kiss. When they parted the mermaid was crying and so was the man. Suddenly the mermaid was surrounded by a warm bright light. When the light faded none of them really understood what had happened until the mermaid gasped. They looked at her and that's when they saw it. The mermaid had turned into a human! Her parents hurried over to her and looked at her legs in disbelief. She once again told her parents that she wanted to stay with the man and this time they had no other choice but to let her since she didn't have any tail anymore. They told her that they would come to visit from time to time and then they left. The man and the mermaid went back to the house and they saw the suprised look on the three servants faces. They just laughed and announced that they were getting married. The three servants got fired and the left the house. The two lovers got married and lived happily ever after._

_THE END._

"Wow, that was a really good story Haru!" I said with tears in my eyes.

"They say that the story is real but I don't know if I believe that," Haru said.

"Who knows?" I said and in that moment the door behind us opened and Dr Hamada walked into the room.

"So... Are you finally going to tell me where..."

Hamada looked up and saw me standing next to the big tank.

"What are you dong here Makoto? No one asked you to be here today," Hamada said in his usual tone.

"I came to visit Haru," I said with anger in my voice.

"But no one asked you to be here. Who let you in?"

Security let me into the building and I got in here on my own. It's not like the door is locked or anything," I said.

"Well now that you're here there might be something you can do for me."

"I'm not gonna make Haru tell you were the rest of his kind are if that's what you thought."

"I don't know what the merman told you but..." Hamada started.

"He's got a name! It's Haruka! H-A-R-U-K-A! And what he has told me!? The truth! Which is more than I can say about you Mr. Makoto-is-just-doing-what-he's-asked! You told him I was using him beacuse you had told me to do so but that´s far from the truth! I acually care about him, unlike you!

"I think It's time for you to leave Makoto... SECURITY!," Dr Hamada shouted.

Two securityguards entered the room.

"Please escort this young man out of the building," Dr Hamada told them.

They each grabbed one of my arms and started to drag me out of the room.

"Haru!"

"Makoto!"

"Haru, I promise I will get you out of here!" I told him in a franic voice.

"Makoto, I love you!" I heard Haru say just before I got dragged out of the room.

The guards dragged me to the entrance and then threw me out of the doorway.

I then got back to my car and drove back to my apartment. When I got back I started walking back and forth in my livingroom trying to come up with a way to save Haru when my phone rang.

"It's Makoto Tachibana," I answered.

"Mako-chan, what's wrong? You sound weird." It was Nagisa on the other end.

"Oh, sorry. I.."

That's when it hit me.

"Nagisa, can you and Rei hurry over here."

"Sure, Mako-chan but why?"

"I need your help with something. It's very important."

"Sure we'll come right away," Nagisa said and hung up the phone.


	10. Chapter 10 - Mermen are real?

**Chapter 10 - How to tell your friends that mermen are real**

"Makoto, what are we all doing here?" Rin asked.

"I need your help with something," I answered.

Nagisa, Rei, Rin, Rin's childhood friend (now also boyfriend) Sousuke, Gou and Rin's friends from Highschool (which I had come to know while living next to Rin); Aiichiro and Momotarou were all gathered in my livingroom.

"What is it you want to talk about Mako-chan?" Nagisa asked me.

I didn't answer.

"You remember that thing that my father showed me a while ago?" I asked them.

"You mean the thing you were not allowed to talk about?" Rei asked.

"Yes," I answered.

"What about it?" Sousuke asked.

"Gou, you know that "wonder of the sea" that is going to be displayed at the Marine Park?" I asked Gou.

"Yes of course."

"That's what my father showed me," I said.

"Really!? What was it!? Momotarou asked in a exited voice.

"It's was a merman."

The room fell silent but the silence was soon broken by Rei's such-a-thing-isn't-logical laugh.

"That's not logical at all! Such a thing dosen't exist!" Rei_ said, _half laughing.

"I'm not lying! It really was a merman and his name is Haruka," I told them.

"Rei is right, there's no way such a thing exists,_" _Rin said.

"He was the one who saved me when I almost drowned 10 years ago!"

"You're talking crazy talk," Gou said.

"I think he's telling the truth," Aiichiro said.

"Why?" Rin asked him.

"Well, it would be kind of cool if it was real…" Aiichiro answered.

"Exacly! IF it was real!" Rei said.

"He IS real and he's in trouble! Dr Hamada is gonna sell him to the Marine Park! He lied to me and told me that he was gonna let Haru back into the ocean when he was finished with his research!"

"Come on Makoto! Get a grip!" Sousuke told me in a pretty irritated voice.

"Wait! There might acually be something to this!" Gou said suddenly.

"What do you mean Gou-chan?" Nagisa asked her.

"I overheard a conversation between my boss and Dr Hamada and now that I think about it they did mention "Haruka", or at least I think so…" After that they started talking about "finding the rest" but I have no idea what they were talking about," she answered.

"They were probably talking about finding the rest of Haru's kind," I told them.

"Okay, I'm saying this one last time; THERE IS NO AWAY SUCH A THING EXISTS!" Rei said once again with a really loud and determinedvoice.

"Rei-chan, maybe we should believe him?" Nagisa said looking up at Rei.

"Huh? Why?"

"You didn't believe true love exsisted either but didn't you tell me that you believed in it other day after we…"

"OKAY! I UNDERSTAND! Y-YOU D-D DON'T HAVE TO SAY IT!" Rei interrupted in a panicked voice.

"Oops, sorry! But seriously if Mako-chan says he's real, as his friends I think we should believe him. Mako-chan really seems to care about Haru-chan so we should support him."

"Haru-chan? Really Nagisa? You haven't even met him yet!" I told him.

"Hehe," Nagisa said and then he scratched the back of his head while sticking his tongue out.

"Okay so what does he look like?" Rei asked me.

"Well, he's got a fish tail as you can imagine. Which is blue by the way and his hair is sort of dark blue-ish and his eyes are really blue, like the ocean. They usually look quite sad though. He usually speaks in monotone without much emotion but you can tell how he's feeling and sort of what he's thinking too by looking into his eyes. At least I can. Like I said, his eyes usually look quite sad but when he's happy his eyes light up really beautifully and he get's super embarrassed when he's called cute and he blushes which makes him even more cute and…"

"Mako-chan… It sounds almost as if you're in love with him," Nagisa said.

I could feel my face getting red.

"You AREin love with him!" Gou shouted out.

"Fine! I am, okay!" I told them.

"HAHAHAHA!" Nagisa suddenly started laughing.

"What's so funny Nagisa?" I asked him.

"What's funny is that I'm dating Rei-chan, who's a guy, Rin-chan is going out with Sou-chan who's a guy and you are in love with Haru-chan who's also a guy! And I bet Ai-chan and Momo-chan are also in love and probably dating as well!"

Aiichiro and Momotarou looked at each other for a few seconds.

"Eww, no way!" They both screamed at the same time.

"Nagisa-kun! I'm going out with Momotarou!" Gou said and I could see her face getting red.

"Huh? I thought you were dating his older brother!" Nagisa said.

"We broke up over six months ago!"

"Oops, sorry!"

"Okay, everyone! Let's get back to what we were talking about!" Rin said.

"So have we all decided to believe what Makoto has told us?" Rin looked around and stopped to look at Rei.

"Okay, I'll believe in you Makoto-senpai," he said and turned to look at me.

"Alright," I said.

"I have a plan on how we are gonna get Haru out of the research facilily and back into the ocean before Dr Hamada sends him to the Marine Park. This is how we're gonna do it…"


	11. Chapter 11 - Saving Haruka Part 1

**Chapter 11 - Saving Haruka Part 1**

We were now all standing on the parking lot of the research facillity ready to put my plan into action.

"You all know what to do right?" I asked them.

"Yes," they all answered at the same time.

"Good. Rei you're up first."

Rei's mission was to put the security guardsto sleep with his sleeping drug that he had invented. Because you see, Rei was a scientist . At the age of 19 he had already made a name of himself as one of the most brilliant scientists in Japan.

"You got it Makoto-senpai," he said and we all walked up to the entrance.

"Excuse me but you are not premited to enter, not even you Makoto. It's the doctor's orders," one of the security guards standing by the entrance said.

"Oh, I was just delivering my dad's lunch. He forgot it this morning," I said and Rei handed him the lunch box. What the guard didn't know was that the box contained the sleeping drug (which was air born).

"We'll have to inspect it first," he said and opened it.

When he opened the box we all held our breath's so that we wouldn't breath in the drug. Both of the security guards leaned over the box and fell to the floor as soon as the box was opened. We all hurried past them to get away from the drug smoke. When we were in the clear we could finally breath again.

"Okay, now that we're in it's Nagisa, Aiichiro and Momotarou's turn," I said and turned to them.

Their mission was to distract the other security guards and researchers so that the rest could reach Haru's room.

"We won't let you down Mako-chan!" Nagisa said.

We left the three there and the rest of us continued towards Haru's room. On the way we passed Dr Hamada's office and we heard voices inside. One of them was Dr Hamada but I didn't know who else was in there.

"It's my boss!" Gou whispered.

"Schh! I want to hear what they are saying!" I whispered back to her.

"I'm done with my research and I finally know where the rest of them are so he's all yours!" I heard Dr Hamada say.

"How did you manage to get him to tell you?" The director of the marine park asked him.

"I said I would hurt Mr Tachibana's son if he didn't tell me!" He said and laughed.

I didn't get the chance to hear anymore because a security guard came running down the hallway and we all quicky hid in a supply closet next to the office.

"Dr Hamada, we have three intruders!" The security guard told the two men.

"What!? How did they get in!" Dr Hamada said, very angry.

"It seems like they somehow made the security guards at the entrance fall asleep."

"Why today of all days!" Dr Hamada said and the three hurried down the corridor.

"It seems the distraction worked," Rin said.

"Dr Hamada knows where the other mermaids and mermen are... This is not good," I said and looked down at my feet.

"He told him where they are to protect me. They are all in danger because of me.

"It will be alright Makoto," Gou said and patted me on the back.

"You're right. Let's continue."

When we reached Haru's room we saw that two security guards were guarding the door.

"What are we gonna do now?" Sousuke asked me.

"I'll distract them," Rei said.

"Okay, I'm counting on you."

Rei stepped forward and yelled out;

"Hello there! Catch me if you can!"

The two guards reacted to Rei's voice and chased after him.

Me, Gou, Rin and Sousuke were now standing outside the door to Haru's room.

"I'll guard the door while the rest of you go in," Gou said.

"Just be careful," Rin told her.

"Don't worry about me bro."

"Okay, let's go in," I said and opened the door.


	12. Chapter 12 - Saving Haruka Part 2

**Chapter 12 - Saving Haruka Part 2**

_**Makoto, Rin and Sousuke - Haru's room**_

After I closed the door behind me, Rin, Sousuke and I approched the tank located in the middle of the room. When we reached the tank both Rin and Sousuke went stiff. There were a few seconds of silence until Rin opened his mouth to speak.

"They really exist," Rin said and looked at Sousuke.

Sousuke just looked back at him and nodded.

Haru was slepping at the bottom of the tank with a peaceful expression on his face.

"Haru wake up!"

"Hm? Makoto!" Haru said and guickly got up.

"Wah! It talked!" Rin uttered in suprise.

"Makoto, who are they?" Haru asked shyly and pointed towards Rin and Sousuke.

"These are my friends. They came with me to save you," I said and smiled.

_**Gou - Outside Haru's room**_

"Can't they hurry up in there. I'm getting nerveous standing out here alone. What if someone comes? I really hope the others are okay."

_**Nagisa, Aiichiro and Momotarou - Entrance Hall**_

Nagisa, Aiichiro and Momotarou where standing in the entrance hall surrounded by security guards when they heard a voice coming from one of the hallways.

"They're in here Doctor."

From the hallway came a security guard followed by Dr Hamada and the Director of the marine park.

"So, these are the intruders. Why did you break in here?" Dr Hamada asked them.

"Do you really think we would tell you that, stupid." Nagisa answered.

"Yeah, do you?" Momotarou said.

"Stop it you two! You will only make things worse!" Aiichiro said in a worried voice.

Dr Hamada was just about to open his mouth to speak again when someone behind him suddenly started talking instead.

"Nagisa? What are you doing here?"

Dr Hamada turned around to see Mr Tachibana standing there.

"You know these kids?" Hamada asked him.

"I don't know who the other two are but the blond one is _defentetly_ Makoto's friend Nagisa, Mr Tachibana answered.

_**Rei - unknown corridor**_

"Come back here!" one of the guards shouted.

"No way you buffoons! By the way, those clothes are not beautiful at all!" Rei said while he continued to run from the guards.

"What does that have to do with anything!?" The other guard asked.

Rei didn't answer and just continued to run until he ran in to something. He looked up to see another guard standing in front of him.

"Catch him!" The other guards screamed at him.

The guard in front of Rei quickly grabbed a hold of him and slammed him against the wall to keep him from getting away.

"Good job, let's take him to Dr Hamada."

_**Makoto, Rin and Sousuke - Haru's room**_

After I had told Haru that we were there to save him his eyes lit up and tears started streaming down his face.

"Haru, don't cry," I said and smiled again.

"I can't help it. I'm just so happy you came for me." Haru said and smiled such a happy smile that I thought my heart was going to stop. I had never seen him make such a happy face before.

"Makoto, you're blushing." Rin said and laughed.

"Am not!" I told him angily.

"Yes you are and it's very cute," Haru said and smiled again.

Now both Rin and Sousuke were laughing so much that they almost fell over.

"It's not funny! Besides, we don't have time to fool around! We need to get Haru out of here!"

_**Nagisa, Aiichiro and Momotarou - Entrance Hall**_

"What? This guy is Makoto's friend?" Hamada asked suprised.

Before Mr Tachibana could answer a door opened and four people entered the entrance hall.

"Dr Hamada. We caught another intruder."

Out of the four people who had entered the room three were guards and one of them was holding the fourth person whom he throwed on the floor in front of him. Nagisa, who immediately realized who it was suddenly dashed towards them.

"REI-CHAN!" Nagisa shouted and sat down next to Rei on the floor.

Nagisa flipped him around and looked at him with a worried expression.

"It's okay, Nagisa. I'm fine." Rei told him and smiled slightly.

"But your face is bruised."

"This is nothing," Rei said and touched the bruise on his face.

"It doesn't even hurt."

"Rei, you're also here?" Mr Tachibana said.

"He's also Makoto's friend?" Dr Hamada asked him.

"Yes, they have been friends since High School."

"What about you two?" Dr Hamada asked and turned to Aiichiro and Momotarou.

"We're friends of Makoto's neighbor. Although we have hung out with Makoto a lot of times in the past so I guess we're also Makoto's friends," Aiichiro answered.

"But what are you all doing here!? Unless... You two!" Dr Hamada turned around to face the guards who had been guarding the door to Haru's room.

"Yes, doctor?"

"Aren't you supposed to guard the merman!?" Dr Hamada asked them angirly.

"Yes but we spotted this intruder so we chased after him," one of them said.

It took Dr Hamada less than a second to understand what was going on.

"You fools! They all came here to free the merman and you have cleared the path for them!" Dr Hamada said and you could hear in his voice how furious he was.

"But we have caught them all so there's no problem, right?" The other guard said.

"These people were obviously just a distraction! We must hurry to the merman's room and stop the rest of them!" Dr Hamada shouted at them.

"What about these guys?," one guard said and pointed towards Nagisa, Rei, Aiichiro and Momotarou.

"Mr Tachibana, you stay here and make sure they don't escape," Dr Hamada said before running off together with the Director of the marine park and a couple of guards and a few researchers following soon after.

"But..." was all Mr Tachibana could say to question the doctror's words before Dr Hamada had left the room.

"Can someone please tell me what the heck is going on!?"

Nagisa and Rei looked at each other, nodded and began to explain to Mr Tachibana what was going on.


	13. Chapter 13 - Saving Haruka Part 3

**Chapter 13 - Saving Haruka Part 3**

**_Nagisa, Rei, Aiichiro and Momotarou - Entrance Hall_**

"What? That can't be right! He said he was going to let the merman back to the ocean," Mr Tachibana said in a suprised voice.

"He lied Mr Tachibana," Rei said.

"I can't believe it but if you say so it's probably true, you've never been known to lie."

The room fell silent.

"What's wrong Nagisa?" Rei asked and looked down at the blonde who had a worried expression on his face.

"I'm worried about Haru-chan, what if Mako-chan and the others can't get him out before Dr Hamada shows up?"

"Haru-chan? You mean the merman?" Mr Tacibana asked.

"He's got a name you know," Momotarou said.

"I know that. His name is Haruka but enough about that we got to hurry," Mr Tachibana.

"Hurry?" Rei asked.

"Well, we have to hurry if we want to reach Haruka before Dr Hamada does."

**_Makoto, Rin, Sousuke - Haru's room_**

"Okay, we need to figure out how we are going to get him out of here," Sousuke said after he and Rin were finished with their laughing.

"Haru… I'm so sorry," I said and looked into his beautiful blue eyes.

"Sorry for what?" Haru asked.

"It's my fault Dr Hamada knows were your kind are."

"No, it's not. I told him where they were because I didn't want him to hurt you."

"Haru…"

"That's enough of your lovey-dovey talk! Weren't you the one who said we needed to hurry!" Rin said in an irritated voice.

"Right. Let's get him out of this tank."

It didn't take too long to get him out of the tank because it turned out it wasn't so hard to do.

"Wow, you're really light," I said as I was carrying Haru in my arms.

"…"

"What is it Haru?"

"…I'm finally able to touch you," he said and touched my face with his hand.

"I'm hearing something from outside!" Rin shouted suddenly.

"What!? Shit, what should we do?" I said in a panicked voice.

"You can get out that way," Haru said and pointed to a door behind the tank.

"Okay, you two get out that way and we stay here," Rin said.

"Huh? Aren't you two coming with us?" I asked him.

"I can't just leave my sister behind," Rin said and looked at me.

I just stood there and stared at him for a few seconds.

"Go!" Rin shouted and I walked up to the door and looked back at the other two one more time before opening the door and hurrying down the corridor behind it.

_**Gou - Outside Haru's room**_

After standing in the quiet korridor for several minutes Gou's fear became reality as she suddenly heard the sound of many footsteps running in the direction of Haru's room.

"Oh no!" Gou said in panic.

"Hurry up! We're almost…" Dr Hamada said as he reached the door to Haru's room were Gou was standing on guard.

"Who are you!?" Dr Hamada asked her in anger.

"Um.." Gou started.

"Gou Matsuoka?" The rest had now reached the door and the director of the marine park looked at Gou with a surprised look on his face.

"Who is this girl!?"

"She works for me at the marine park," he told Dr Hamada. Then he turned to Gou again.

"What are you doing here?" the director asked Gou.

"I won't let you in," Gou said, ignoring his question.

"Move aside girl!" Dr Hamada said and shoved her aside. He opened the door and entered the room followed by the others.

_**Rin and Sousuke - Haru's room**_

Just as Makoto (with Haru in his arms) had disappeared down the corridor behind the door, Rin and Sousuke heard voices outside the door and the sound of something hitting the wall. Rin had a feeling he knew what had hit the wall and it made his blood boil. Suddenly the door slammed open and in the doorway stood Dr Hamada, his face red with anger and irritation. Rin could see his sister lying on the floor behind him.

"Where is the merman!?" Dr Hamada shouted in a very angry voice.

Rin was just about to tell him to go screw himself when one of the people standing behind Dr Hamada suddenly spoke.

"Dr Hamada, they must have taken the door out to the dock."

Dr Hamada charged forward towards the door and the others followed him without even acknowledging Rin and Sousuke's existence and as fast as they had appeared, they were gone.

Rin and Sousuke hurried. to Gou who was still lying on the floor.

"Are you okay Gou!?" Rin asked in a worried voice.

"I'm okay Onii-chan," she said and stood up.

"What should we do?" Sousuke asked the siblings.

"I think we should try to find the others before we do anything else," Rin said.

"What about Makoto and Haruka?" Gou asked her brother.

"We can't do anything without the others but…"

"But what Onii-chan?"

"They said the door that Makoto and Haru went trough lead to the dock," Rin told his sister.

" Oh my god…"

"What is it?" Sousuke asked.

"Makoto is afraid of the ocean," Gou said.

"We don't have time to think about that now, we have to find the others first," Rin said and started to run down the corridor with Gou and Sousuke close behind him.

_**Nagisa, Rei, Aiichiro, Momotarou and Mr Tachibana - Corridor leading to Haru's room**_

"Run faster Rei, you're falling behind!" Nagisa yelled.

"If I run any faster it won't be beautiful!" Rei shouted back at him.

"That doesn't matter now!" Aiichiro yelled at Rei.

"Just keep moving," Mr Tachibana told them.

"But Rei needs to…" Nagisa isn't able to finish his sentence before colliding someone.

"Look where you're running you… Nagisa?"

Nagisa looks up to see Rin's face in front of him.

"Rin chan! Gou-chan and Sou-chan too!? Where are Mako-chan and Haru-chan?" Nagisa asked them.

"They went through a door leading to the dock and Dr Hamada followed them. We decided to find you guys before going after them," Rin told them.

"The dock? You mean… the ocean!?" Rei asked him.

"…Yes."

"We have to hurry after them," Mr Tachibana said and started running again with the others following close behind.

_**Makoto and Haru - Corridor to dock**_

As I ran along the corridor with Haru in my arms I could feel Haru's heartbeat against my chest and the warmth of his body. I couldn't believe I was acually holding him in my arms like this.

I ran for a few minutes until I could feel a slight chill coming from the end of the corridor.

"We're almost outside," I told Haru.

At the end of the corridor there was a door. I pushed it open and the first thing I noticed was that the wind was blowing hard and that it was raining.

"It seems like a storm is coming," I said to Haru. Then I looked straight ahead and I froze. Right in front of me was a long dock leading out to the thing I dreaded the most; the ocean.


	14. Chapter 14 - Slipping up

**Chapter 14 - Slipping up**

_**Makoto and Haru - Dock**_

I took a few deep breaths to calm down and looked down at Haru.

"We're here," I said.

"Are you okay Makoto?" Haru asked in a worried voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get you home."

Just as I said that I heard running footsteps from the corridor behind us. I turned around to see Dr Hamada coming through the door.

"Now we've got you," Dr Hamada said and started walking towards me.

"No, you don't," I said and swallowed hard before turning around again and running out onto the dock.

_**Nagisa, Rei, Rin, Gou, Sousuke, Aiichiro, Momotarou and Mr Tachibana - Corridor outside Haru's room**_

"There's the door!" Gou shouted and pointed towards the door at the end of the corridor.

They hurried through the door to Haru's room and then through the door leading to the dock.

"We're almost there!" Mr Tachibana shouted back at the others.

They continued to run down the corridor until they reached the door leading to the dock. They opened it and they saw Makoto with Haru in his arms standing at the very end of the dock surrounded by Dr Hamada's men.

"Give us the merman Makoto!" They heard Dr Hamada shouting through the sound of the wind.

"Never!" They heard Makoto shout as a reply.

At that moment the wind picked up ever so slightly and they saw Makoto slip and both Makoto and Haru fell into the water.

"MAKOTO!" They all shouted at once.

_**Makoto and Haru - The end of the dock**_

We've got you cornered, there's nowhere to run!" Dr Hamada shouted.

We were now at the end of the dock and Dr Hamada was indeed right about the fact that there was nowhere to run.

"Give us the merman Makoto!"

"Never!" I shouted at Dr Hamada.

At that exact moment the wind picked up and I could feel myself losing my footing. I heard several voices calling my name just as I hit the surface of the water.


	15. Chapter 15 - Truths

**Chapter 15 - Truths**

A familiar feeling had come over me. It was dark, silent and cold. Just like ten years ago I was falling into the darkness of the ocean. I panicked and started to look around but I couldn't see anything. Suddenly I felt someone grab my arm and I turned around. Glowing in the dark were a couple of beautiful blue eyes. I stared into them and my panic disappeared. I blinked a couple of times and I my eyes adjusted to the dark and I could see the person in front of me. He saw pointing up and I realized what he meant and I started swimming. He let go of my arm and took a hold of my hand and started swimming too. My oxygen had almost run out when my surroundings were getting brighter and I could see the light of the surface. It didn't take long before my face broke it and I could breath fresh air. I didn't know how long we had been under the water but the strom had cleared and the sun was shining.

"There they are!" I heard Gou shout.

I looked towards the dock and I could see everyone standing on the beach.

"You stay here," I told Haru as I started swimming towards the beach.

When I reached the beach Nagisa put his arms around me and hugged me tight.

"I'm so glad you're okay Mako-chan!"

"Nagisa… You're sufficating me!"

"Oh, sorry," he said and let go of me.

I looked around and saw the worry on all my friends' and father's faces.

"I'm fine everyone, no need to worry anymore," I said and smiled at them.

"You little punk!" I heard Dr Hamada say.

Dr Hamada pushed everyone aside and stood in front of me with an very angry expression on his face.

"What's up Doc?" I asked him with a grin.

"You have no idea what you have done!"

"I think I've just exposed and spoiled your stupid little plan."

"You little," Dr Hamada said and raised his fist.

"Don't you dare touch him!" I heard Haru's voice coming from behind me.

I turned around to see him sit on a rock not to far from the beach.

"I told you to stay," I said in a panicked voice.

Dr Hamada looked at Haru with a look of anger on his face.

"What is it? You're not gonna try to capture me again?" Haru asked Dr Hamada.

"No, I won't! You have given me enough trouble! But don't forget that you told me where the rest of your kind are!"

"True, I did tell you where they are but that won't help you," Haru told Dr Hamada.

"What? Why not!"? Dr Hamada asked Haru in anger.

"Because humans can't find it. Even if you know where it is you won't be able to see it."

"DAMN IT!" Dr Hamada shouted and fell to the ground.

"This has been my family's dream for decades! Ever since my great grandfather failed!" Dr Hamada said angerly.

My father turned towards all the guards and the other researchers.

"Did all of you know what Dr Hamada had planned to do?" He asked them.

All of them started to look down in the sand.

"So you did know? Let me guess; Dr Hamada promised you all fame and fortune?"

They didn't say anything and continued to look down in the sand.

"Now that you won't get what you wanted, what are you going to do?" My father asked them.

They all turned to look at Dr Hamada who was standing up again.

"What are you all staring at!?"

"It seems like they don't want to answer to you anymore," I said with grin.

"I'm getting out of here!" The director of the marine park suddenly said and went back through the door leading to the dock.

"Looks like you've lost," Nagisa said to Dr Hamada in an amused voice.

"NO! I won't lose! I can't lose! Stop staring at me like that!" Dr Hamada said in panic.

"Wait a minute," Gou said suddenly.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"Dr Hamada, you said your great grandfather had failed? Did he also catch a merman?" Gou asked.

"Indeed he did, it was a mermaid though," he said in an irritated voice.

"Tell us about it," I told Dr Hamada.

"Why should I!?" He said angrily.

"Because he told you too," one of the guards said and pointed his weapon at him.

"Fine then! It was my great grandfather and two others. They were working for an rich man and one day my great grandfather saw him together with a mermaid. He couldn't believe what he saw at first but when the shock had past he rememered all the legends about mermaids and that one could gain eternal life by eating it's tail. So he told the two others and they captured the mermaid and kept her in the man's basement and they tried to get them to reveal were the other mermaids and mermen were so that they could find them and sell them to get rich but she refused. Unfortunately the man discovered her in the basement and freed her and the truth was discovered and my great grandfather and the others got fired.

I was in shock, I looked at Haru and he looked just as shocked.

"This might sound weird but do you know if the mermaid turned into a human?" I asked Dr Hamada.

"It did, or at least that's what my great grandfather wrote in his journal."

"Then the story your mother told you was true Haru!" I said looking at Haru.

"I guess so," Haru said in a suprised voice.

"That doesn't matter! Everything I ever worked for has been ruined!" Dr Hamada said in an angry voice.

"Can you get him back inside please?" My father asked the guards.

"Uh, okay," One of them said and took a hold of Dr Hamada and started leading him back inside, with the other guards and researchers following behind.

"Now that that's over with," I started and looked at the others.

"Thank you everyone for helping me free Haru."

"That's what friends are for," Rei said and smiled.

"Now introduce us to Haru-chan!" Nagisa said enthusiastically.

"Oh, okay. Everyone, this is Haru. Haru, this is everyone,"

"H…hello, nice to meet you," Haru said and blushed.

It was quiet for a while until Rei suddenly spoke.

"I still can't believe that mermen acually exist," he said and stared at Haru.

"I couldn't really believe it either in the beginning," my father said and laughed.

All of a sudden everyone started laughing. We just stood there and laughed of about a minute for no apparent reason at all. When the laughter had finally died out I looked at Haru and he looked back at me with sad eyes.

"What's wrong? You're free now, you should be happy," I said and smiled at him.

But my smile soon faded. He was free which meant he was going back home. I ran out into the ocean until I reached the rock he was sitting on.

"Makoto," he said and touched my face.

"It's okay, you are free to go now," I told him and smiled, but on the inside I was breaking.

"But I don't want to," he said in a sad voice and tears started running down his face.

"Don't cry Haru… If you cry, I will too."

"You're already crying," he said.

I was indeed crying. I felt warm tears running down my face and I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. I couldn't take it anymore and I put my arms around Haru and pulled him close.

"I…don't want…you…to go," I said in between my sobs.

After a few minutes I pulled away from Haru and turned my face away.

"You better go…" I said without looking at Haru.

"Makoto," Haru said and I turned my face towards him again.

Then he leaned in and put his lips on mine. His lips were warm and tasted salty. We stayed like that for a few seconds and then he pulled away.

"Good bye, Makoto," he said and disappeared into the ocean.

(Don't worry, this is not the end :P )


	16. Chapter 16 - The End Part 1

**Chapter 16 - The End Part 1**

_**Haru's POV**_

I kept on swimming and didn't look back. I could feel the tears stinging in my eyes as I swam through the dark water.

It only took about half an hour to get to my home, a place called Melodia. It was a very beautiful place but somehow it's beauty seemed to have faded in my eyes. I entered through the magic gates and before I knew it, I was surrounded by people.

"Oh, It's Haruka! He's back!" said one of them.

"He's okay!" said another.

"His parents will be so relieved!" said a third.

I just ignored them and continued towards my house. After a few minutes I was in front of the door. I opened the door and entered.

"I'm home," I said as though I had just returned after being out shopping or running an errand or something. I heard hurried movements coming from the living room.

"Oh my godness!" My mother said and looked at me in shock before pulling me close into a big hug. My father had now also entered the room and he too looked at me with a shocked expression. My mother let go of me and led me into the living room. We all sat down around the small living room table.

"I'm so glad you're safe my son," he said and smiled at me.

"Now tell us what happened!" My mother demanded.

"Yes, Haruka! Tell us everything! Do you know how worried we have been!?"

I took a few seconds to look at my parents faces. They looked determined and I knew there was no helping it so I opened my mouth and told them everything that had happened.

_**Makoto's POV**_

I just stood there completely frozen as the tears continued to stream down my face. Haru was gone. I had freed him and now he had gone back home to his family, to the place where he belonged. That's what I was supposed to do all along. I knew that deep down, but then why did it hurt this much? _"Oh, I fell in love with him,"_ I thought. That's why.

"Haru... Haru!...HARU!" I couldn't take it anymore and I started walk further out into the water but before long someone grabbed my arm. I looked back to see it was my father.

"Makoto, let's go back."

"No! I have to after him! Let go of me!" I shouted at my father.

"And where exactly are you gonna go? You can't breath under water and besides you don't even know where this place is."

"I'll just get Dr Hamada to tell me then!"

"Didn't you hear what Haruka said? Humans can't see it."

"I...I... I don't care! I just...want...to..."

"I know Makoto...but it's no use. Let's just go back," my father said in a sad voice.

"Fine..." I said and started walking through the water, back towards the beach.

When I finally reached the beach I saw my friends standing there looking at me with sad expressions on their faces.

"Mako-chan? Are you okay?" Nagisa asked me. I ignored him and started walking towards the door leading back inside. I went in through the door and headed down the corridor until I reached the door leading to Haru's room. I opened it and walked in, closing the door behind me. I looked at the big empty tank and walked up to it, putting my hand on the cold glass. My legs gave out and I slid down to the floor. I buried my face in my hands and started crying uncontrollably.

_**Haru's POV**_

When I had finished telling them the story my parents just stared at me.

"Oh, honey. That must have been awful!" my mother said.

"Not all of it was..." I said.

"You mean that human?" My father asked me.

"His name is Makoto, and if it weren't for him I would be at that stupid park being displayed as "the wonder of the sea"!

"Oh...yes." My father said and looked down at his feet.

"I still can't believe that story was true though," I said after a moment's silence.

"Well of course it was! She was a very good friend of mine," my mother said and smiled at me.

"But I wonder how she turned into a human?" I asked my mother.

"I really don't know. It's a mystery," she answered

"Did you know she kept visiting that human?"

"Oh, yes. She always told me about how amazing and kind he was. That he wasn't at all how others said humans were. I told her more than once that she would be better of not meeting with him anymore but she wouldn't listen. When she didn't return one day I was really worried but then I few days later I heard everything from her parents. I didn't know what to think and went up to the surface to meet with her. She told me she was happy and that she didn't mind being a human as long as she could be together with him. That was the last time I spoke with her. I guess she's long gone now." My mother said and gave me a sad smile.

"Maybe it was her desire to be together with him that turned her into a human," I said to my mother.

"Could be," she said.

I started thinking about Makoto. I wanted to see him so bad, to be together with him. Would I turn into a human too if I wished for it strongly enough? I didn't want to think about it any further so I excused myself and went to my room. I threw myself down onto my bed and buried my face in my pillow and started crying again.


	17. Chapter 17 - The End Part 2

**Chapter 17 - The End Part 2 **

_~ Three weeks later ~_

_**Makoto's POV**_

I woke up, got out of bed, dressed and went out into the living room. I looked at the kitchen and debated if I should get something to eat before going out. I decided to skip breakfast and continued towards the front door. I took my keys of the hook by the door and opened it, stepped outside and locked it behind me. Looking to my right I saw Rin and Sousuke outside the door of Rin's apartment. They were kissing.

"Good morning, you two."

They stopped kissing and turned to look at me, both of them blushed as they realized I had seen them.

"G..good morning, Makoto," an embaressed Rin said.

"You're going out?" Sousuke asked me.

"Yeah, I'm gonna do a bit of shopping," I said and smiled at the both of them.

They looked at each other but didn't say anything. I knew what this was about.

"Makoto..." Rin started after a few moments of silence but I interrupted him before he could finish.

"I'm in kind of a hurry, see you both later!" I said and hurried down the stairs.

"Makoto wait!" I could hear Rin shout as I continued down the stairs.

I hurried out of the doors of the apartment complex and headed for my car. I few minutes later I pulled out of my parking spot and drove out onto the street. I continued down the street until I reached the main road. I knew the way by heart so I didn't pay too much attention to my surroundings as I drove. It didn't take me too long to reach my destination. I parked in an empty parking spot and stepped out of my car. Just like usual there was no one there exept me. I hadn't gone shopping at all. I had lied to Rin and Sosuke and they knew it. That's why they acted the way they did when I said I was gonna go shopping. I closed the door to my car and approched the iron fence. A fresh breeaze hit my face as I leaned upon the fence and stared out at the big, blue ocean before me.

_**Nagisa's POV**_

"Come on Rei-chan! Can't we go see a movie tonight!?"

"I can't. I am much too busy with my research at the moment," Rei-chan said through the speaker of my phone.

"You meanie! You never have time for me!" I said with an angry tone in my voice.

"Nagisa, please understand. My research is very important to me."

"More important than me!?" I said, still with anger in my voice.

"That's not what I said! Of course it's not more important than you but it's still important! I promise we'll go out and do something next weekend okay?"

"Okay. I guess there is no helping it then..." I said, slightly disapointed.

"I'm sorry Nagisa but I really have to go know. I'll see you tonight."

"Yeah, see you tonight. I love you, Rei-chan."

"I love you too, Nagisa. Bye!"

"Bye," I said and hung up the phone.

As soon as I had hung up, my phone rang. I looked at the display and saw that it was Rin-chan calling.

"Hello Rin-chan! What's up?"

"It's Makoto. He did it again."

I understood exactly what he meant.

"Nagisa, we have to do something," Rin said.

"I know, but what? I have tried talking to him but he doesn't want to listen!"

"But he can't go on like this! Going to that place and staring at the ocean all day! That's all he does everyday and it's not healthy!" Rin was shouting now.

"You don't think I know that! You can tell by just looking that he's not sleeping well and that he's barely eating!" I was shouting now too.

"Whatever, this is not getting us anywhere. Me and Sousuke will be right over to pick up you and Rei and then we can go to that place and try to talk some sense into him once and for all!" Rin said with a determind tone in his voice.

"Rei-chan is working so he won't be able to make it but I'm in!"

"Okay, we'll be there in a few minutes. Bye!"

_**Haru's POV**_

"Haruka! Time to get up!" I could hear my mother shouting from the living room.

I didn't want to get up. In fact I had barely left my room since the day I had come back home. My mother came to my room everyday with my breakfast, lunch and dinner but I didn't eat it.

"Haruka, please come join us! You can't continue like this!" My mother was now standing outside my door, still shouting at me.

"I don't want to! Leave me alone!" I shouted back at her.

"Fine then. I'll leave your breakfast out here," she said through the door.

"Don't bother. I'm not going to eat it anyway."

"Haruka..."

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE ALREADY!" I snapped at my mother.

I could hear her picking up the plate and hurry back to the living room.

I knew I was being childish but I really didn't feel like doing anything. All I could think about was Makoto, Makoto and Makoto. I didn't understand it. We hadn't known each other for that long but somehow his smile and personality had stolen my heart and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't think about anything else. His smile kept popping up in my mind and everytime it did it felt like my heart would burst.

_"Makoto, I want to see you!" _I thought as I burrowed my face into my pillow.

_**Makoto's POV**_

As I stood looking out at the ocean I saw the figure of a woman standing a few feet away.

_"Where did she come from? I didn't see her coming," _I thought to myself.

Suddenly she turned to look at me. She smiled and made a gesture telling me to come over.

"I didn't realize there was anybody else here," I said as I reached the place where she was standing.

"Well, I knew you were here. You have been coming here everyday for three weeks after all," she said and smiled at me.

"Huh? How did you know?"

"I have been coming here too," she answered.

"Really? I haven't seen you."

She laughed a little before answering.

"The way you have been staring at the ocean I'd be surprised if you even noticed a fly landing on your nose."

"I noticed you today."

"That's because I let you notice me," she said.

_"Let you notice me?" What did she mean by that?" _I thought.

"My name is Minako by the way," she said and stretched her hand out.

"Nice to meet you Minako, my name is Makoto Tachibana," I said and took her hand in mine and shook it a few times before letting go.

When I shook her hand I noticed it was very cold and something about it just felt weird but I didn't pay too much attention to it.

"So why are you coming here everyday, Makoto? Oh, is it okay if I call you Makoto?"

"You can call me Makoto if you want. I don't mind."

"So why are you here then?" she asked me again.

"That's..." I began.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I am only a stranger after all," she said and smiled.

After she said that she turned to look at the ocean again.

"I've really missed this place," Minako said.

"You're from around here?" I asked her.

"Yeah, but I haven't been back for a really long time," she answered and when she said that she had a sad sort of expression on her face.

"But three weeks ago I finally got the chance to come back."

"Really? What happened?" I asked Minako.

"You could say I got a call."

"A call? From an old friend or something?"

"I guess you could say that," Minako said and smiled at me again. Something about that smile made me feel uneasy.

"Do you like the ocean?" Minako asked suddenly after a moment's silence.

"Huh? No, I'm actually afraid of the ocean..." I answered honestly.

"Then why would you stare at it all day, everyday?" she asked.

I figured it wouldn't really hurt to tell her since she probaby wouldn't believe me anyway.

"Well, that's because..." I started but I was cut off by the sound of an approaching car. A familiar car stopped at the side of the road and an equally familiar person stepped out of it.

_**Nagisa's POV**_

Me, Rin and Sousuke was riding in Rin's car on our way to talk with Makoto when my phone rang. I looked at the screen and noticed it was a number I didn't recognize but I answered it anyway.

"Hello, this is Nagisa Hazuki. Who am I speaking to?"

"Oh, It's you."

"We're on our way too talk with him right now."

"What!?"

"Nagisa? Who are you talking to?" Rin asked me.

I put a finger to my mouth to tell him to be quiet.

"Yes..yes, I understand."

"We're coming as soon as we have picked him up!" I said and hung up.

"What was that about? Would you mind telling us what's going on?" Sousuke asked me.

"It's Dr Hamada..." I answered.

_**Makoto's POV**_

"Makoto! You have to come with us right now! It's Dr Hamada!"

"What do you mean Rin!? What about Dr Hamada!?"

"Your father called and he said some government people have come to take him away so we're heading to the research facility right now. Are you coming?" Rin asked.

"You guys go ahead. I'll be right behind you."


	18. Chapter 18 - The End Part 3

_**The next chapter after this one will be the last. I will upload it as soon as I'm finished with it!**_

**Chapter 18 - The End Part 3**

Rin got back into his car and started driving towards the research facility.

"I'm really sorry Minako, but I've got to go."

"Would you mind if I came with you?"

"That's fine, I guess," I said as the both of us hurried to my car.

It didn't take us too long to reach the research facility. Rin and the others had already arrived and was standing together with Gou, my father, Dr Hamada, some security guards and two suspicious-looking guys in suits. All of them had noticed my arrival and was looking my way as I parked my car and got out. A look of surprise appeared on everyone's faces as Minako stepped out of the car.

"You are Makoto, correct?" One of the guys in suits asked me.

"Yes, that's me," I answered.

"And who is this woman?"

"Oh, she is…" I started but Minako interrupted me before I could finish.

"My name is Minako Kuroyama," she said and smiled.

"That's impossible!" Dr Hamada suddenly shouted.

I turned to look at him.

"What is it?" I asked him with anger in my voice.

"She can't possibly be Minako Kuroyama! She's dead!"

"And how would you know?"

"Well technically it's not impossible for her to be alive but if she was she would be over a hundred years old!"

"What are you talking about?" The other of the two suit-wearing guys asked him.

"Hiroshi Kuroyama was the name of the man my great grandfather worked for! And in his journal, my great grandfather wrote that the name of the mermaid Hiroshi Kuroyama fell in love with and later married was Minako!"

Everybody gasped and turned to look at Minako.

"While mermaids do have eternal life, Minako gave up her immortality when she became human so there's no way that woman is Minako Kuroyama!" Dr Hamada shouted while pointing at Minako.

"Unless… She's a ghost!" Nagisa said.

"Don't be ridiculous Nagisa!" A voice said from behind me. I turned around to see Rei standing behind me.

"Rei-chan!?" Nagisa said in a surprised voice.

"There are no such things as ghosts!" Rei said and looked at Minako.

Minako laughed a little before opening her mouth to speak.

"Well, Rei was it? I'm sorry to disappoint you."

"What do you mean?" Rei asked her.

"I mean that I am indeed not alive anymore," she said and smiled.

"Eh!?" Everyone said with one mouth.

"You really are a ghost?" I asked her.

"Well, like I said, I'm not alive anymore but I wouldn't really say I am ghost."

"Come on! This is madness!" Rei said in a loud voice.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that… When I shook her hand before I noticed something was weird but I couldn't put my finger on what it was," I told him.

"You really expect me to believe that this woman is not alive anymore? That she's dead!?"

"Calm down Rei-chan! Let's just listen to what she has to say," Nagisa said and took a hold of Rei's arm.

"Fine," He mumbled.

Everyone turned to look at Minako again.

"I guess it's time for me to explain myself," She said.

"That would be helpful," One of the men in suits said.

"Excuse me but who are you exactly?" She asked him.

"My name is Mr Tanaka and this is my partner, Mr Yoshida." Mr Tanaka said and pointed at his partner.

"The government has sent us to collect this man," he said and pointed at Dr Hamada.

"He has broken the law by catching and imprisoning an illegal animal."

"Animal?" Minako said and gave Mr Tanaka a … look.

"Well…," he started and looked at his partner, who nodded.

"A merman," he finished.

"So the government knows about the existents of mermaids and mermen?" I asked Mr Tanaka.

"Yes, but never mind that. Weren't you going to explain why you are here even though you are dead." Mr Tanaka answered and looked at Minako.

"Right. Let's get to it then," she said and smiled.

"I was called here."

"Yeah, you told me you had gotten a call from an old friend and that you hadn't been back here for a really long time but that you had gotten the chance to return three…" I stopped mid-sentence and stared at Minako.

I now started to suspect why she was here and I opened my mouth to speak again after a few moments of silence.

"Three weeks ago… You said you returned here three weeks ago!" I burst out in a louder voice then I had intended.

"Yes, indeed I did. I have been here for three weeks and I have been going with you to that place everyday but you haven't noticed that I was there because I hid myself from you. Today when I said you noticed me "because I let you notice me" I really meant it. I showed myself to you because my time here is about to run out. I have spent these three weeks studying you and trying to think of a way to approach you. Anyway, enough about that. I was called here, not by a friend but by a voice."

"A voice?" I said and gave Minako a questioning look.

"Yes, a voice."

"What did it say?" Nagisa asked with excitement.

"It said; _Please, help me. Like that mermaid so long ago, turn me into a human so that I can see that smile again. That smile that saved me from the depths of despair… Makoto, I want to see you."_

Everyone turned to look at me. I could feel the tears stinging in my eyes as I tried to hold them back.

"Makoto are you okay?" My father asked me.

I didn't answer and turned to Minako again.

"Haru… called for you?"

"Yes," she answered and looked into my eyes.

"Haru wants to see me…"

"Yes he does. Now I have a question for you."

"What?" I asked and gave Minako a questioning look.

"Do you want to see him?" she asked me.

I didn't even have to think for a second.

"Yes, of course I do!"

"Good. Then I just have two more things to say to you."

Everyone looked at me and Minako.

"Be patient and have faith," she said and before anyone could question her words or say anything, she had vanished.


	19. Chapter 19 - The End Part 4 (Last)

**Chapter 19 - The End Part 4 (Last Chapter)**

_**Haru's POV**_

I got a sudden impulse. I couldn't really explain it but I just suddenly felt like getting out of bed and going for a swim. My parents was very surprised to see me when I passed through the living room. They called out to me but I ignored them and continued outside. I kept on swimming until I reached the forest of seaweed. I had always loved to play in the forest when I was a kid and it really felt good to be back there again.

"I always loved this forest," I heard a female voice say from behind me.

I turned around to see a mermaid sitting on a rock not so far way from where I was.

"Did I scare you?" She asked and smiled.

"No, you just startled me."

"Isn't that basically the same thing?" she said and smiled again.

"Who are you anyway?" I asked the mermaid.

"My name is Minako Kuroyama." she answered. Something about her name seemed familiar.

"And your name is Haruka Nanase."

"How did you know that?" I asked Minako in surprise.

"Because you called me here."

"Called you here? You mean to the forest?" I asked her, confused.

"No, back from the dead," Minako answered and smiled.

"Back from the dead? What do you mean?"

"Yes, back from the dead and if you just take me home to your house I will explain everything," Minako said and smiled once again.

_**Makoto's POV**_

"What just happened?" Gou asked no one in particular.

"She just... vanished," Rei said in a shocked voice.

"She really was a ghost..." Nagisa said and gulped.

Everybody looked around in shock and confusion.

"Be patient and have faith? What did she mean?" Mr Tanaka asked me suddenly.

"I'm not really sure..." I answered.

"What if she meant that if you keep being patient and hope then maybe Haru-chan can become a human! I mean, she did ask you if you wanted to see him before she said that stuff!" Nagisa said excitingly.

I didn't comment on what Nagisa said, instead I turned around to look at the ocean.

"This is madness!" Dr Hamada said suddenly.

Everybody turned to look at him.

"Let's just take Dr Hamada and go, that's what we came here for," Mr Tanaka told his partner.

"You're right and we have gotten enough information about the situation," Mr Yoshida said.

"We just have to talk to you about a few more details," Mr Tanaka told my father.

"Okay, let's go back inside."

My father, the security guards, Mr Tanaka and Mr Yoshida excused themselves, took a hold of Dr Hamada and went back into the research facility.

"Guys!" A voice suddenly shouted from behind me. I turned around to see Momotarou and Aiichiro running towards us.

"What are you guys doing here?" Rin asked them.

"Gou texted me and told me everything so I called Aiichiro and we hurried over here."

"Anyway, where is the ghost!?" Momotarou asked and looked around … .

"She already disappeared some time ago," Rin said.

"Oh..."

"Thank god," Aiichiro said.

"What do you mean "thank god"! We missed the chance to see a real ghost!" Momotarou said in a loud voice.

Aiichiro and Momotarou started a heated discussion about the ghost of Minako but I wasn't paying attention. I turned away from them and started walking down to the beach.

_**Haru's POV**_

I didn't really understand what was going on, it all seemed so unreal. As I swam through the forest back towards my house I kept glancing at the mermaid beside me. She didn't seem like a ghost, in fact she seemed just as alive as me.

"Is something the matter?" Minako asked me.

"No, It's nothing."

We continued in silence until we reached my house. I opened the front door and called out to my parents.

"I'm back!"

"Haruka, welcome ba...AAHH!"

"Mom! What's wrong!?"

"Mi...Mi...Minako?" My mother stuttered.

"Hello Riko! Long time, no see!" Minako said and smiled.

"Wait a minute, you two know each other!?"

"Yes, we are old friends," Minako said and smiled again.

"Old friends..."

That's when I understood.

"It's you... The mermaid from the story." I said while looking at Minako in shock.

My father had now joined us and looked just as shocked as my mother.

"Minako, what in the world are you doing here?" My mother asked her.

"I'm here because your son called me here." she answered.

"You said something like that in the forest too." I said.

"Yes, indeed I did." Minako said and smiled her usual smile.

Everyone fell silent and no one spoke for a few minutes.

"Before I came here I payed a visit to a young man up on land. A young man named Makoto, " Minako said after a while, breaking the silence.

"What!?" I said, surprised.

"I have been observing him for three weeks and during those three weeks he's been going to the same place everyday. Everyday for the last three weeks all he's been doing is staring at the ocean," she said.

"Did he look sad?" I asked her.

"Yes, during all that time I didn't see him smile even once."

A Makoto who wasn't smiling? I couldn't believe it. Minako must have noticed my thoughts because she gave me a comforting smile.

"Don't look so sad Haruka," she said.

We stood there in silence for a while.

"So what are you doing here?" I asked Minako.

"You called me here because you want to be together with Makoto, right? So that's why I'm here. To make your desire a reality, or at least try to." She answered.

"Really? How?"

"That's the tricky part," Minako said.

"Tricky?" I asked her.

"Yes, because I have no idea what to do."

"You mean how to turn me into a human?" I asked Minako.

"Exactly."

"But how did you turn into a human?"

"I have no idea about that either. I just wished so hard to be together with him and then the light appeared and suddenly I had feet instead of a tail. I guess that's what you have to do to, just wish for it and it will happen. Just to be safe I asked Makoto to "be patient and have faith". I thought that if you wish for it strongly enough and Makoto is patient and believes then it will happen!" Minako answered and smiled.

"You might be right! In either way, it's worth a try!"

"Haruka..." I heard my mother say from behind be and I turned around to face her.

"Mom... I..." I started.

"It's okay Haruka," my father said.

"Dad..."

"If you really wish to go, we won't stop you," my mother said and smiled.

"As long as you are happy," my father said and he also smiled.

"Mom...Dad...Thank you." I said and turned to Minako.

"Okay, here's the plan. Just swim towards the surface and while you do wish as hard as you can to become a human so that you can be together with Makoto."

"Got it."

As soon as I had said that, Minako started to fade away.

"Minako?"

"My time here has run out, it's time for me to go back. It was really nice to see you again my old friend," Minako said and smiled towards my mom, then she disappeared.

I turned to my parents again.

"I guess I'll be going then," I said turning to the door but as I reached for the handle someone took a hold of my arm. Before I realized it, I was crushed in a big hug.

"Mom! You're going to suffocate me!"

"Oh! I'm sorry," she said and let me go.

I took one last look at my parents and then I opened the front door and started swimming towards the magic gates. When I reached the gates I looked back in the direction of my house.

_"I'll see them again," _I thought as I swam through the gate.

Once I had passed through the gate I started swimming up towards the surface. I started swimming faster and faster while thinking of how much I wished to be with Makoto. Thoughts of his gentle smile filled my mind as I raced towards the world above.

_**Makoto's POV**_

I sat down in the sand and stared at the ocean.

_"Be patient and have faith," _Minako had said.

_"Haru... I wish you were here with me...If only you would turn into a human then we could be together. Maybe if I believe you can turn into a human you will be able to do it." _I thought.

"There you were!" I heard Nagisa say from behind me. I turned around to see him and the others walking towards me.

"We wondered where you had gone! You just disappeared all of a sudden!" Rin said.

"Sorry to make you worry about me," I said.

"Well, we have done nothing but worry about you lately so it's not anything new," Nagisa said.

"I know and I'm sorry."

"That reminds me. Rei-chan how come you're here? I thought you were busy with work?" Nagisa asked Rei.

"Well, when we talked on the phone before you sounded so upset. I tried to concentrate on my work but I couldn't. I just couldn't stop thinking about how disappointed you sounded when I said we couldn't go see a movie tonight so I told everyone at the lab to go home early and I came straight here," Rei said and blushed.

"Aw Rei-chan!" Nagisa said happily and jumped into Rei's arms so that they both fell over.

"Waahh! Nagisa calm down!"

"Rei-chan! I love you!" Nagisa said.

"I love you too, Nagisa," Rei said and smiled.

I didn't know what came over me put somehow I found myself laughing. At first everyone stared at me but then they started laughing too, even Nagisa and Rei. The laughter was quickly interrupted however when a blinding light suddenly shot out of the ocean up in the sky.

_**Haru's POV**_

As I continued to swim towards the surface something happened. A light surrounded me and almost seemed to devour me. The thoughts of Makoto's gentle smile flooded my mind as I reached the surface. When I broke the surface of the water I got a strange sensation in my tail, almost like it was itching. Suddenly the tail split into two and formed legs and a pair of pants and a shirt appeared out of nowhere. The light started to fade away and that's when I realized that the light was what kept me floating in the air. The light disappeared completely and I fell into the water.

_**Makoto's POV**_

"What was that?" Aiichiro asked after the light had disappeared.

"I have no idea," I said and looked in the direction where the light had just been.

"There is a guy there in the water!" Nagisa said suddenly an pointed.

Everybody looked in the direction where Nagisa pointed.

"You're right but it doesn't seem like he needs any help. Just look at how fast he is!" Gou said.

I sat watching the guy as he swam towards the beach and even though the he was still far away I caught a glimpse of his eyes and they were blue, very blue, like the ocean.

"Impossible..."

"What's wrong Makoto?" Rin asked me.

I didn't answer and instead I stood up and started walking out into the water.

"Makoto! What are you doing!?" I heard someone say behind me as I continued further out into the water.

It seemed he had seen me too because he started swimming even faster then he did before. I also tried to increase my speed put since I didn't want to fall and get my head under the water I slowed down again. I stopped once I couldn't get any further without getting my head under the water and waited for him to reach me. Since he was a fast swimmer it didn't take him long to reach me.

"Haru..." Was all I could say. I was in shock, I just couldn't believe Haru was here in front of me.

"Hello Makoto."

"Why are you here? That light?" I asked, still shocked.

"Makoto, I couldn't stand being apart from any longer."

"So you came to visit me?"

"Minako told me she had been to see you," Haru said.

"Minako came to you too!?"

"Yes and she told what to do so now we can be together."

"Wait... You mean...you're a...a human!?"

"Yes," Haru said.

I tried to speak but I couldn't, instead I just looked into Haru's eyes and smiled and just like always, he blushed.

"You're as cute as always when you blush," I said and smiled again.

"Shut up!" Haru said and blushed even more.

"You're really cute..." I whispered as I leaned in. Our lips met and I could feel a rush of warmth going through my entire body. I don't know how long we stood there with our lips pressed together but felt like forever and then when I pulled away it somehow seemed like only a second had gone by.

"Let's go back to the beach," I said and took a hold of Haru's hand.

I looked up and waved to the others on the beach, who also seemed to have noticed who the person in the water was because they were jumping up and down with smiles on their faces.

"Let's go."

"I don't think I can," Haru said.

"Huh?"

"I don't know how," he said and blushed.

"Oh, it's easy. Just put one foot in front of the other, okay?"

"I'll try."

It didn't take Haru too long to get the hang of it and we walked together back to the beach.

"I can't believe it..." Rei said when we reached the beach.

"I still can't believe it myself to be honest," Haru said.

"This is totally awesome! Welcome back Haru-chan!" Nagisa said and gave him a big hug.

"Excuse me, I can't breathe," Haru said.

"Oops, sorry. Anyway, we must have a party!"

"A party?"

"Yes, Mako-chan! A party! We have to celebrate!" Nagisa said.

"That's a good idea!" Gou said.

"Then let's go right now," Rin said.

"But where should we have the party?" Sousuke asked.

"We can have it at our place. Right Rei-chan?" Nagisa said.

"Yes, I guess that would be alright."

"Then it's decided! We'll go to Nagisa and Rei's place and have party," I said and smiled at Haru.

"But before we do that there is something else we must do," Nagisa said.

"Huh? What?" I asked him.

"We must go see Dr Hamada one last time."

"Dr Hamada, why?"

"Well, he's being sent away to some government facility right? He's not gonna bother us ever again so let's make him really angry," Nagisa said with a … look on his face.

"Nagisa, I don't know if that's..." I started but Haru interrupted me.

"Let's do it."

"See? Haru-chan thinks it's a good idea. It's the perfect revenge! I mean not only did Haru-chan manage to escape from his clutches but he has also turned into a human! I mean he wanted Haru-chan so that he could be immortal or whatever but that only worked when he was a merman!" Nagisa said.

"Okay then. My father and those government guys are discussing the last details inside the research facility right know so let's wait for them in the parking lot," I suggested.

"Sounds good," Rei said and we all walked back to the parking lot.

We had only waited for about five minutes when my father and the others came out through the entrance. We made sure Haru was hidden behind us so that we could really surprise Dr Hamada.

"You're all still here?" My father asked me.

"Yeah, we thought we'd wait for you," I said.

"That was nice of you. By the way, did you guys see that strange light?"

"Yeah, we did."

"Do you know what it was?" He asked me.

"No, do you know Rei?"

"No, Makoto. I do not," he said.

"Rin?"

"No, sorry. No idea."

"Nagisa?"

"No clue."

"Sousuke?"

"Nope, I don't know either."

"Gou?"

"Sorry, Makoto. I haven't got the faintest idea what it could have been."

"Aiichiro? Momotarou? Do either of you know?" I asked them.

They both looked at each other and shook their heads.

"What about you Haru? Do you know?"

Everyone moved aside so that Haru was now clearly visible.

"Who knows," he said and shrugged.

"Y...YOU!" Dr Hamada said angrily.

"Hello Dr Hamada, surprised to see me?" Haru asked him.

"Why you little!" Dr Hamada said and tried to get out of the security guard's grip.

"No you don't!" he said and dragged him to Mr Tanaka and Mr Yoshida's car.

"I can't believe it! It's really you," My father said.

"This is the merman?" Mr Tanaka asked.

"Yes...Well not anymore," I said.

"That's true. Anyway we'll be taking care of Dr Hamada now so you and your people don't have to worry about him anymore. Same goes for the director of the marine park," Mr Tanaka said while looking at Haru.

"Uh, thanks," Haru said uncertainly.

"No need for thanks, this is our job.

"We're ready to go now," Mr Yoshida said.

"Okay, goodbye then," Mr Tanaka said and followed Mr Yoshida to their car.

While they were driving away, Dr Hamada looked at us through the window and the look he gave us was not very pretty.

"Hey, guys. Let's just smile and wave at him."

Everybody looked at each other and smiled. We turned back to face Dr Hamada and we all raised our hands and waved. The car was already pretty far away so we couldn't see what kind of face he was making but I doubt it was a happy one.

Let's have that party now!" Nagisa said.

"Yeah, that sounds good," I said and turned to Haru.

_**~ A few hours later at Nagisa and Rei's apartment ~**_

The party had gotten pretty wild. Right now they were singing karaoke and Nagisa and Momotarou were fighting about who would sing next. Deciding I needed some air I went out onto their balcony.

"You can see the ocean from here," a voice said from behind me a few minutes later.

I turned a little to see Haru standing there.

"Hi, Haru. Yeah you're right," I said.

He walked and stood beside me.

"You know, ever since that time ten years ago I've hated the ocean," I said after a few minutes of silence.

"But now, even though it still scares me, I don't hate it anymore," I continued.

"Why?" Haru asked.

"Because it's were you come from, your home," I said and smiled.

"Did you really stare at the ocean all day, everyday for the last three weeks?"

"Wha...What!? Who told you that!" I said and I could feel my face heating up.

"Minako told me and by the way Makoto, did you know?" Haru asked me.

"Did I know what?"

"That you also look pretty cute when you blush," he said.

"Uh... that's...that's not true," I said and turned my face away.

"Makoto..." Haru said after a couple of minutes of silence.

"Yeah?"

"We'll always be together from now on, right?"

His question caught me off guard but I already knew my answer.

"Of course we will, Haru," I said and turned to look straight into his blue eyes that no longer had any sadness in them.

"I love you, Haru."

"I love you too, Makoto."

At that moment it was like everything had stopped. The music from inside the apartment died out and there was no longer any wind blowing. In that moment there was only me and Haru, it was like no one else existed except us and all that could be heard was the distant sound of waves and of our own heartbeats.

_**That's all folks! It's done! I really hope you have all enjoyed this story! This was my very first fanfic and I have really enjoyed writing it. I don't know when I will write another one or if I'm ever gonna write another one. I got the idea for this fanfic from a picture I saw on Facebook. I saw the picture and the story just appeared in my mind. Anyway, goodbye for now! I hope to see you all again someday! :D**_


	20. Sequel

Hi! It's me! I've started a sequel to this story called "Nagisa and the Scientist!" :D Be sure to check it out!


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